TARC Blue Hills Skyline Trail Run

Join us for the 2024 Trail Animals Running Club Blue Hills Skyline Trail Run at Blue Hills Reservation! 

Please note: This race sells out, and there are no refunds, no transfers, and no deferrals (except for emergencies)!

Saturday, June 29, in Milton, Massachusetts

Race Start Location: 1904 Canton Avenue, Milton, Massachusetts (Blue Hills Ski Area Parking Lot)

The TARC Blue Hills Skyline Trail Run is a gnarly, old school 12K race with approximately 2,300 feet of climbing. The course is on the Blue Hills Reservation North & South Skyline Trail. The terrain is rocky and steep and will demand your attention, balance, and agility. In addition to epic staircase climbs and tumbling rock downhills, runners can expect a classic New England path through the woods with East Coast technicality and scenic views of the Boston skyline (if you dare to look up from the rocks under your feet)!

Strava Link

GPX File

Course Description: The course starts at the Blue Hills Ski Area, runs along the Accord Path until you hit the Skyline Trail.  Follow the Skyline Trail and blue blazes up to the top of Great Blue Hill, and take your first right to follow the southern Skyline Trail. Follow this to the first road that crosses near the Blue Hill Reservation Headquarters. Cross the road and see the aid station.  From here to the next road is an out and back. Follow Skyline until you hit the road past Buck Hill, then turn around and go back to the aid station, and cross the road and follow the northern Skyline Trail back to Great Blue. Take a left and follow Skyline to Accord Path and back to the finish in the parking lot. 

Course markings: This race is not for the directionally challenged or faint of heart! Course markings entail only the Skyline blazes. It is the participant's responsibility to be aware of the course beforehand. Everyone is encouraged to study the online map beforehand and download the GPX file to their watch if necessary. Participants can also print out the map ahead of time and bring it with them on the day of the event. At the request of the DCR, please stay on the race course and be aware that cutting around people on the trail causes trail erosion.

Aid Stations: The course has one aid station at the road crossing that you will pass twice (once on the way out and once on the way back). Aid will also be at the start/finish. Participants are required to have hydration packs or handheld bottles with them due to the minimal aid available.

Leave No Trace: The TARC Blue Hills Skyline Trail Run has a Leave No Trace policy. Please adhere to the Leave No Trace principles during the duration of the event (and we hope whenever you are out in nature).

Land Acknowledgement: The TARC Blue Hills Skyline Trail Run is held on land that is home to the Pokanoket Nation, descendants of the Wompanoag people, the original stewards of this territory. We encourage our participants to educate themselves on the history of the land we will be running on as well as the history of the land where you train and call home.

Schedule:

Saturday, June 29, 2024 | Race Day

6:30 a.m. | Bib Pick Up Opens in Parking Lot

7:20 a.m. | Prerace Briefing

7:30 a.m. | Race Start (& Yeti Howl!)

12:00 p.m. | Course Closes for All Participants

Parking & Travel: Parking is available for participants right at the start/finish area in the parking lot of the Blue Hills Ski Area. Here is the address. Please help us out by carpooling with as many fellow trail animals as possible. Participants can post in the Trail Animals Running Club Facebook Group or in the TARC Blue Hills Skyline Trail Run event page coordinating carpools.